Shock resisting heel



Feb. 5, 1946. `v- P, wlLLlAMs D 2,394,281

sHocK REsIsTING HEEL,

Filed Dec. l5, 1944 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESHOCK RESISTING HEEL Villor P. Williams, Chicago, Ill. ApplicationDecember 13, 1944, Serial No. 567,906

7 Claims.

The invention relates to foot wear, particularly, a shoe heel. l

Y'Ihe invention has for its primary object the improvement of certaindetails of construction of the heel covered -by Patent #2,357,281, datedAugust 29, 1944. Some of the more specific objects of the invention areto provide an improved tread lift utilizing a resilient tongue' formedintegral with the rim around the back and sides of the heel to providean improved cushioning coaction and means for expelling entrance intothe heel such as stones, grit, dirt, mud, snow or wet, etc., due to thegroove formed integral with the tongue.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring plate with aspring finger depending therefrom which can be incorporated within theconne of the cavity of the tread lift and thus render it aself-contained entity.

and more Another object of this invention is to provide a exible heelutilizing proper means to support the tongue, and to induce resilientcoaction when the tongue is subjected to pressure in the act of walking.

The invention also consists of certain new'and original features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed,although the novel features in the specification and in the claimshereinafter set forth when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part thereof and which illustrates a present preferredform of the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of ashoe incorporating my improved resilient heel.

Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of the heel member proper, showing thegroove formed around the tongue.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing the springiinger bearing against the rear side of the resilient tongue;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the base of the heel which in practiceis attached to the outer sole of the shoe, with the spring platefastened thereon, prior to attaching my resilient tread lift. y

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the spring plate with its springlinger depending therefrom, shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross section view of a modified form of myresilient tread lift with the spring Vplate fastened therein and withits spring ng'er set in the act of bearing against portion permanentlyattached to the outer sole of the shoe.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of a further modified form of my resilienttread lift for heels utilizing a combination consisting of a flexiblebase or half `tread lift in cooperation with a leather lift cementedthereon within which my spring plate can be incorporated if so desired.

Fig. 8 is a detached cross section showing singularly the resilient baseor half tread lift, shown in the combination illustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views, Fig. 1 designates a shoe I0 having an outer soledesignatedgenerally I I, forming a part thereof and including a heelbase attached to the outer sole designated I2. These parts are ofconventional form and areshown merely to illustrate the application ofthe invention which will hereafter be described.

In Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the heel comprises a body or tread lift I3 ofrubber or other suitable resilient or elastic material having a grooveI4 formed to follow the contour of the `tongue and terminates at pointI6 where the tongue merges into the body of the lift which automaticallypositions the hinging action intermediate said tongue and theconfronting surface of the tread lift. As shown in the drawing, the bodyof the tread lift I3 and tongue I5 are molded in one piece. The rim I'Ithus formed is of less height than the rearward extending portion I8 ofthe tongue I5. Said portion I8 curving in an upward direction andmeeting the body lift at a point I9 which forms the groove I4. Thecurved portion I8 of the tongue I5 is molded relatively thin as at 20 toprovide a freely collapsible, yet somel what restrained movement whenthe foot is put down in walking. This also provides a completelyenclosed cavity 2I for the reception of a spring plate, if desired.

This point is substantially under the plantar tubercules of the oscaleis. Groove I4 is formed partially to follow the contour of thetongue I5;

' it also tends to induce additional flexibility to the of thevadjoining leather base which is usually 55 cushioning coaction of thetongue, except atthe hinged portion I6, at which juncture, tongue I5 ismerged into the rim portion I1 of the body of the tread lift Vand issubjected to a hinged action in the act of walking. Wall 20 of thetongue I5 is relatively thin, yet it is of sufficient thickness strengthto serve as means for expelling entrance of stones, grit, mud, dirt,sand, snow or wet, etc., .that may accumulate within thegroove v heelhaving a resilient body associated with a material relatively harderthan the resilient half lift of said heel.

7. The combination of a resilient tread lift for shoe heels formedintegral with a depending tongue of curvilinear formation projectingrearwardly at 'an angle, the 4bottom surface of the tongue *beinginclined upwardly and forwardly from the rear part of the rim to thefront of the heel forming a recess in the rear surface thereof, a layerof leather lift rigidly fastened to the surface of the resilient treadlift, and a spring plate with a spring finger depending therefrom firmlyheld within the cavity of said lift, said spring finger bearing againstthe bottom surface of the tongue to provide a recoil action to saidtongue when said tread lift and the adjoining element form a, perfectinterlocking connection.

y VILLOR P. WILLIAMS.

